


In Vino Veritas

by Lola99



Category: Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-03
Updated: 2014-12-03
Packaged: 2018-02-28 01:35:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,773
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2714081
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lola99/pseuds/Lola99
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A collection of drabbles based off tumblr prompts featuring my mage Inquisitor, Asher Trevelyan, and his developing relationship with a certain Tevinter mage.  I will probably be adding to this in the future.<br/>THANK YOU to MissMeggo for help with the title! :)</p>
            </blockquote>





	In Vino Veritas

“So...what is it like to live in one of those southern Circle Towers?”

Asher glanced over to where Dorian walked beside him.  The two of them were making their way through the Hinterlands towards Redcliffe. They were to meet with the family retainer that Dorian’s father had sent and though Asher didn’t fully understand the reasons why, he knew the other man was mostly looking for a distraction.  He decided to oblige him.

“I think the experience is different for everyone.  With my family connections, I certainly had an easier time than most.  Some would say I had more freedom.”

He looked off into the distance and his mind wandered, trying to think of the best way to explain what it had truly been like.  There were some parts he wasn’t ready to share with anyone.

“I sense a ‘but’ in there somewhere.”

Asher sighed.  “I don’t want to come across as not understanding that I did have some privileges.  Because I did and I know that.  But...it still wasn’t _real_ freedom, wasn’t a normal life.  I was given leave occasionally to visit home, but I knew that I was still leashed to the tower by my phylactery.”  Under his breath he added, “Among other things.”

“I’ve heard of these _phylacteries_.  Barbaric.”

“Yes, well...Don’t you know that us mages are evil and dangerous?  We must be controlled somehow.”

Asher failed to keep the bitterness out of his voice and he could feel Dorian’s intense gaze, but he refused to look at the other man.

“I feel like there is more to that statement than meets the eye.”

“Perhaps.  But not something I want to get into right now.  Just...forget it.”

There was a long pause, and then, “Fair enough.”

It was a long and complicated story.  Or maybe it wasn’t.  But it was one he wasn’t sure he wanted to get into right now.

“To answer your original question, the Circle certainly had some things going for it, and the idea of a place for mages to go and learn to control their magic in a safe environment is a good one.  But things desperately needed to change, no  _still do_ need to change, and not just in the Circles.  I hope that I can do that, as Inquisitor.  That I can show people that magic isn’t evil, that it can be used for good.”

Asher felt the slightest brush of fingertips against the back of his hand before he heard the softly spoken reply, “I know you can.”

They spent the rest of the journey to Redcliffe in silence, Dorian most certainly thinking about the upcoming meeting and Asher thinking on the things he _hadn’t_ said.  He wasn’t sure that Dorian, a mage from Tevinter, would ever be able to understand.   

But after the meeting with his father, after he had seen the pain in the other man’s face and heard the anguish in his voice, once he’d understood exactly why Dorian had left home, Asher thought that just maybe he’d be able understand after all.

 

 

* * *

 

 

“At any rate, time to drink myself into a stupor.  It’s been that sort of day.  Join me sometime, if you’ve a mind.”

Asher was initially taken aback by the abrupt change in the conversation.  They’d returned to Skyhold after meeting with Dorian’s father and had a rather deep discussion about what had driven Dorian from Tevinter.  And then Dorian had stolen his breath with a toe-curling kiss, pulled away with a comment that promised more, and finally professed his need for a drink.

Asher shook his head and replied, “I wouldn’t mind a drink myself.  Unless you’d rather be alone right now.”

Dorian answered immediately.  “No, I would be glad for the company.  Although I cannot promise to be the best companion tonight.”

Thinking back to the moment they’d just shared, Asher grinned.  “Oh, I don’t know.  You’ve already exceeded my expectations.”

His brow arched, Dorian replied, “Oh, really?  I’m afraid you have rather low standards, then.  We’ll fix that, don’t you worry.”

“So, did you want to head to the tavern or…”

Dorian shook his head.  “Well that was the plan, but not now!  Weren’t you listening?  I have standards to raise.  This calls for the good stuff!”

Asher simply looked on as Dorian spun on his heel and started digging through a satchel that was behind his chair.  After a moment, he shouted triumphantly and pulled out a large bottle of wine.

“Now...this next part might sound a bit odd.  Have you been down to your dungeons?”

“My... _dungeons_?  I can’t say that I have.  Why?”

“Because that’s where we’re headed.  Follow me.”

And with that, Dorian was off.  Asher had no choice but to shake his head again and follow, muttering to himself.

“ _Raise my standards_ , he says.   _Let’s got to the dungeons_ , he says.”

“Oh, stop.  Sarcasm isn’t quite as attractive on you as it is on me.  And it’ll make sense when we get there, I promise.”

Grinning despite himself, Asher followed Dorian through the courtyard and down the narrow stairs to dungeon below.  They went past the empty (for now) cells and then he stopped in front of a door in the back of the room.

“I came down here once-when Alexius was here.  I just...I needed to talk to him, to see if I could understand why.”  
“Did it help?”

“Help?  I don’t know.  I...felt badly for him.  He wasn’t always the man that you met, you know.”

“I believe you.”

Dorian gave him a small smile.  “We would talk about how we wanted to change Tevinter, make it better.  I...I could be myself around him.  More than I could anywhere else, at least.”

Asher reached out and placed a hand on Dorian’s shoulder.  “I’m sorry.”

“Whatever for?  He brought it on himself.  And you showed him more mercy than he probably deserved.”  Dorian shook his head.  “Regardless, I’ve gotten us sidetracked.  I simply meant to say, I discovered this door when I was down here.  You won’t believe what’s on the other side.”

He opened the door and Asher followed him through, his breath leaving him in a rush at the sight.  There were cells to his left and right, just as in the other room.  The difference was the large hole in the middle of the floor and the completely missing far section of the room.  The view was stunning, though.  A waterfall was below them, mountains all around.

“It’s amazing.  How did I not know this was here?”

Dorian smiled.  “I imagine there is still much for you to learn about this place.  But I’m glad I could share this with you.”

“The view from my balcony is rather stunning, but this is something else entirely.”

“It is.  It’s the feeling that’s different, wouldn’t you say?  I imagine from your balcony, you feel on top of it all, looking down.  Which is an amazing feeling, of course.  But here...here it feels more like freedom.  The jail cells torn apart around it, the closed building behind you, the rushing water below you.  It speaks to my soul in a way I had not expected.”  

When Asher didn’t immediately reply, Dorian surprised him by blushing and said, “That didn’t make sense.  It did in my head, but…”

Asher smiled and said, “No, it makes perfect sense.  I was just taking it in.  You’re right.  It’s an entirely different feeling.  Freeing.”  

They sat in silence for while, each lost in their own thoughts as they enjoyed the view.

Finally, Asher turned to Dorian and said with a grin, “Well, you have sufficiently raised my standards.  I will be expecting more in the future.  It will be your own fault if I’m impossible to please after this.”

Dorian laughed.  “I look forward to the challenge.  Now, how about that drink?”

 

 

* * *

 

 

Several hours, nooks of Skyhold explored, and bottles of wine later, the two men were making their way through the main hall.  Dorian could swear he felt heat radiating from Mother Giselle’s glare as they walked past her, one of Asher’s arms slung over his shoulder.  It might have looked cozy, but Dorian was certain it was the only thing keeping the Inquisitor on his feet.

As they got closer, Asher winked at Mother Giselle, who blushed and turned away.  Dorian groaned.

“You had to do that, didn’t you?  At least I’ll know to expect her visit later.”

“Whadya mean?”

“Never mind, it doesn’t matter.  You, my dear Inquisitor, cannot hold your liquor.”

Asher snorted.  “Yes I can.  You just...something...I don’t remember what I was saying.  I think I drank too much wine.  It was good though.”  He awkwardly patted Dorian’s chest with this other hand.  “You were good.”

Dorian’s laugh rang through the hall, and several people turned to look at them.  He quickly lead them through the door to Asher’s private quarters and shut the door behind him.

“You really have no idea what you’re saying, do you?”

“No, I do.  It’s just not coming out right.  You were... _are_...good.  A good person.  You know.”

Dorian silently cursed the many stairs it took to get up to Asher’s room as he struggled to keep the other man on his feet.  

“I’m not sure that I do.”

“Yes, you do.  You _know_.  What it feels like.”

“What _what_ feels like?”

“Living a lie.”

Dorian stopped short, thankful they were finally off the stairs.  He knew that Asher had just admitted something to him, possibly without meaning to, and that there was an important discussion to be had from it.  But not now.  Not when the other man could barely string two words together.

He carefully led them over towards the bed and sat Asher down.  “You should sleep this off, and we’ll talk about it more later.”

Asher smiled.  “Okay.”  

He dropped back, his head on the pillow, and closed his eyes.  Dorian was certain he had passed out and turned to leave.  Asher’s voice stopped him at the top of the stairs.

“You could stay.  Here.”

“I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

“Oh.”

His voice was so dejected that Dorian turned back and said softly, “Asher, it’s not that I don’t want to.  It’s just not a good idea _right now_.  We’ve both had far too much wine, and I think we have things we need to talk about first.”

Asher hesitated and then smiled.  “See?  I told you.  Good person.”

“You really should be careful feeding my ego like that.”

“As if it could be bigger.”

Dorian grinned.  “Good night, Inquisitor.  Sweet dreams.”


End file.
